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(11) | EP 1 961 575 A3 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Remaining amount detection sensor and ink-jet printer using the same |
| (57) Provided is a remaining amount detection sensor (4) which is disposed outside a sub-tank
(3) to detect a remaining amount of an ink (20), including: a detection electrode
(4a) disposed so as to face the sub-tank (3); a guard electrode (4b) disposed in the
same plane as the detection electrode (4a) so as to surround an outer periphery of
the detection electrode (4a); and a guard electrode (4d) which is disposed so as to
face the detection electrode (4a) with a space in at least a range covering the detection
electrode (4a), and has the same potential as that of the guard electrode (4b), in
which the remaining amount of the content of the sub-tank (3) can be detected based
on a capacitance to be measured by the detection electrode (4a) with the potentials
of the guard electrodes (4b) (4d) each being set as a reference potential. Accordingly,
in the remaining amount detection sensor and the ink-jet printer using the same, the
remaining amount of the content of the container can be detected with high accuracy.
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